Pagodas & Buddhist Temples
Stand where millions of pilgrims have stood before you. This collection spans two millennia of Buddhist sacred architecture — Myanmar's gold-sheathed Shwedagon Pagoda with 60 tonnes of gold leaf, Bagan's 2,200-temple plain rising from volcanic mist, Japan's mirror-perfect Kinkaku-ji, Sri Lanka's 2,200-year-old Ruwanwelisaya stupa, Nepal's vast Boudhanath where prayer flags snap in Himalayan wind, and the cliff-clinging Tiger's Nest of Bhutan at 3,120 metres. Each pagoda encodes the entire Buddhist cosmos in its proportions. Our community of heritage travelers has ranked, visited, and reviewed every one.
Few experiences in travel match the moment you first see a great pagoda in person — the scale, the gold, the absolute stillness surrounding a structure that has drawn pilgrims for centuries. Pagodas and Buddhist temples represent two and a half millennia of living sacred architecture, and no photograph fully prepares you for any of them. Myanmar holds the oldest continuously active stupa tradition on earth: the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon has been a place of unbroken worship since the 6th century BCE and is encased in 27 metric tonnes of pure gold. To visit Shwedagon at dawn, when the light turns the gilded surface molten, is to understand why this site has drawn devotees for over 2,500 years. Southeast Asia's most extraordinary single monument is Borobudur in Indonesia — a 9th-century stone mandala of 72 bell-shaped stupas housing meditating Buddha figures, with the volcanic peak of Mount Merapi as its backdrop. Japan offers a different kind of encounter: the Zen and Pure Land temple tradition stretches unbroken from the 8th century, and sites such as Kinkaku-ji and the immense Tōdai-ji in Nara still draw pilgrims and first-time visitors alike into a silence that feels genuinely removed from the modern world. For those beginning their Buddhist heritage journey, the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya — built at the exact spot of the Buddha's enlightenment — remains the most significant starting point in the tradition. The 100 pagodas and temples in this ranking span 18 countries and every major school of Buddhism. Our community of heritage travelers has visited, reviewed, and created practical guides for all of them.
Highlights from the Top Rankings
Shwedagon Pagoda
98 metres of gold-plated stupa above Yangon — the spiritual heart of Myanmar.
#2 WorldBorobudur
The world's largest Buddhist monument: 2,672 relief panels on a stone mandala in Java.
#4 WorldTemple of the Emerald Buddha
Thailand's most sacred image, housed inside Bangkok's Grand Palace complex.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a pagoda and a Buddhist temple?
- A pagoda is a tiered tower — originally derived from the Indian stupa — built to enshrine Buddhist relics. A Buddhist temple is a broader term for any place of worship, meditation, and community gathering. Many sites combine both: a pagoda stands at the centre while surrounding temple halls serve monks and pilgrims.
- Do you need to remove shoes at Buddhist temples?
- Yes. Removing footwear before entering any Buddhist shrine or temple hall is universal etiquette across Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, and all other Buddhist countries. Socks are usually acceptable. At major outdoor sites such as Shwedagon Pagoda you walk barefoot on the marble terrace.
- Which country has the most significant Buddhist pagoda heritage?
- Myanmar holds the densest concentration of Buddhist pagodas in the world, with the Bagan plain alone preserving over 2,200 surviving temples from the 11th–13th-century Pagan Kingdom. Thailand and Japan also carry exceptional collections of living temple architecture.
🌍 Countries with Pagodas
Ranked by number of notable sites
Japan
Top: Kinkaku-ji
China
Top: Potala Palace
Sri Lanka
Top: Dambulla Cave Temple
India
Top: Mahabodhi Temple
Thailand
Top: Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Myanmar
Top: Shwedagon Pagoda
Nepal
Top: Swayambhunath Stupa
South Korea
Top: Haeinsa Temple
Vietnam
Top: Thien Mu Pagoda
Pakistan
Top: Gandhara Buddhist Ruins
Cambodia
Top: Angkor Wat
Laos
Top: Pha That Luang
Indonesia
Top: Borobudur
Bhutan
Top: Tiger's Nest Monastery
Singapore
Top: Tooth Relic Temple
Malaysia
Top: Sam Poh Tong
Mongolia
Top: Erdene Zuu Monastery
Taiwan
Top: Fo Guang Shan
🏆 Top 100 Rankings
The world's most significant sites, ranked by historical importance, architectural value, and cultural impact.
Shwedagon Pagoda
📍 Yangon, Myanmar · 🕐 6th century BCE
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar and one of the most awe-inspiring religious monuments on earth. Rising 98 meters (321 feet) above Singuttara Hill, the central stupa is encased in 27 metric tonnes of gold plating and its top umbrella (hti) is adorned with 5,448 diamonds, 2,317 rubies, sapphires, and other precious gems — including a 76-carat diamond at the very tip. According to Buddhist tradition, the pagoda is over 2,600 years old and enshrines eight sacred hairs of Gautama Buddha along with relics of three previous Buddhas: Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, and Kassapa. The earliest archaeological and epigraphic evidence places significant construction in the 14th and 15th centuries under Mon kings, with the central stupa rising to its current 98-meter height under King Hsinbyushin in 1774. The pagoda complex covers approximately 46 acres on Singuttara Hill, accessible by four staircases (north, south, east, west) and elevators. The vast platform terrace surrounding the central stupa is lined with dozens of smaller shrines, pavilions, and prayer halls. The terrace is oriented so that the moon rises directly behind the pagoda on full-moon nights, creating a scene of extraordinary beauty. Each of the four cardinal shrines contains a planetary post for devotees born on each day of the week. The pagoda is also historically significant as the site of major political events: Gandhi visited in 1929, and Aung San Suu Kyi delivered key speeches from its northern staircase. Every year the pagoda draws approximately 5 million visitors from Myanmar and abroad.
Borobudur
📍 Magelang, Indonesia · 🕐 9th century CE
The world's largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur is a massive Mahayana Buddhist monument built during the Sailendra Dynasty. It consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.
Bagan Temples
📍 Bagan, Myanmar · 🕐 11th–13th century
The Bagan archaeological zone on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar is one of the richest concentrations of Buddhist architecture on earth. At its peak between 1044 and 1287 CE — the height of the Pagan Kingdom — the plain held an estimated 10,000 temples, pagodas, stupas, and monasteries built across 104 square kilometers. Today approximately 3,500 structures survive in varying states of preservation, of which around 2,200 remain standing. Construction began under King Anawrahta (1044–1077), who unified Myanmar and established Theravada Buddhism as the state religion. His successors Kyansittha and Narapatisithu oversaw the greatest building campaigns. The most revered structures include: Ananda Temple (1105, considered the finest in Bagan), Shwezigon Pagoda (started by Anawrahta, finished 1102), Htilominlo Temple (1218, last of the great Pagan temples), Dhammayangyi Temple (largest temple in Bagan, 12th century), and Sulamani Temple (1183, 'Crowning Jewel'). The landscape is best experienced at sunrise or sunset, when the silhouettes of thousands of spires emerge from the mist above the plain. Hot-air balloon rides over Bagan at dawn are a world-class experience. In July 2019, Bagan was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 2016 earthquake damaged 185 structures; ongoing conservation work is managed by Myanmar's Department of Archaeology.
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
📍 Bangkok, Thailand · 🕐 1784
Wat Phra Kaew, located within the Grand Palace complex, houses the most revered Buddha image in Thailand — a 26-inch jade Buddha dressed in gold seasonal costumes changed by the King himself three times a year.
Angkor Wat (Buddhist Period)
📍 Siem Reap, Cambodia · 🕐 12th century
Originally built as a Hindu temple, Angkor Wat was gradually converted to Theravada Buddhism in the late 13th century. It remains the largest religious monument in the world, spanning 162.6 hectares with intricate bas-reliefs stretching over 800 meters.
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
📍 Kyoto, Japan · 🕐 1397
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion is a Zen Buddhist temple covered in gold leaf. Its top two floors are completely covered in brilliant gold leaf, and the structure is reflected perfectly in the mirror-like Kyōko-chi pond, creating one of the most iconic images in Japanese culture.
Wat Arun
📍 Bangkok, Thailand · 🕐 17th century
The Temple of Dawn stands majestically on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Its 79-meter central prang (Khmer-style tower) is decorated with colorful porcelain and seashells that glitter brilliantly in the morning sun.
Todai-ji
📍 Nara, Japan · 🕐 752
Todai-ji houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, standing 15 meters tall. The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) that contains it was once the largest wooden building in the world.
Potala Palace
📍 Lhasa, China · 🕐 1645
Perched at 3,700 meters above sea level, the Potala Palace was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. This 13-story structure contains over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and 200,000 statues, making it the highest ancient palace in the world.
Jokhang Temple
📍 Lhasa, China · 🕐 647
The Jokhang is considered the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It houses the Jowo Rinpoche, a statue of the young Buddha said to have been blessed by Buddha himself, making it the most revered object in Tibetan Buddhism.
Swayambhunath Stupa
📍 Kathmandu, Nepal · 🕐 5th century
Boudhanath Stupa
📍 Kathmandu, Nepal · 🕐 14th century
Mahabodhi Temple
📍 Bodh Gaya, India · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Tiger's Nest Monastery
📍 Paro, Bhutan · 🕐 1692
Shwezigon Pagoda
📍 Nyaung-U, Myanmar · 🕐 1102
Dambulla Cave Temple
📍 Dambulla, Sri Lanka · 🕐 1st century BCE
Temple of the Tooth
📍 Kandy, Sri Lanka · 🕐 16th century
Ryoan-ji
📍 Kyoto, Japan · 🕐 1450
Wat Pho
📍 Bangkok, Thailand · 🕐 16th century
Senso-ji
📍 Tokyo, Japan · 🕐 645
Pha That Luang
📍 Vientiane, Laos · 🕐 1566
Haeinsa Temple
📍 Hapcheon, South Korea · 🕐 802
Wat Rong Khun (White Temple)
📍 Chiang Rai, Thailand · 🕐 1997
Tian Tan Buddha
📍 Ngong Ping, Hong Kong · 🕐 1993
Bulguksa Temple
📍 Gyeongju, South Korea · 🕐 528
Luang Prabang Temples
📍 Luang Prabang, Laos · 🕐 14th century
Byodo-in
📍 Uji, Japan · 🕐 1053
Sigiriya
📍 Sigiriya, Sri Lanka · 🕐 5th century
Horyuji
📍 Ikaruga, Japan · 🕐 607
Sukhothai Historical Park
📍 Sukhothai, Thailand · 🕐 13th century
Leshan Giant Buddha
📍 Leshan, China · 🕐 803
Prambanan (Buddhist Temples)
📍 Yogyakarta, Indonesia · 🕐 9th century
Doi Suthep
📍 Chiang Mai, Thailand · 🕐 1383
Ananda Temple
📍 Bagan, Myanmar · 🕐 1105
Longmen Grottoes
📍 Luoyang, China · 🕐 493
Mogao Caves
📍 Dunhuang, China · 🕐 4th century
Famen Temple
📍 Baoji, China · 🕐 2nd century
Sanchi Stupa
📍 Sanchi, India · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Ajanta Caves
📍 Aurangabad, India · 🕐 2nd century BCE–5th century CE
Ellora Caves (Buddhist)
📍 Aurangabad, India · 🕐 6th–11th century
Nalanda University Ruins
📍 Nalanda, India · 🕐 5th century
Sarnath
📍 Varanasi, India · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Wat Xieng Thong
📍 Luang Prabang, Laos · 🕐 1560
Kyaiktiyo Pagoda
📍 Mon State, Myanmar · 🕐 6th century
Mihintale
📍 Mihintale, Sri Lanka · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Gangaramaya Temple
📍 Colombo, Sri Lanka · 🕐 19th century
Dazu Rock Carvings
📍 Chongqing, China · 🕐 9th–13th century
Seokguram Grotto
📍 Gyeongju, South Korea · 🕐 774
Kiyomizu-dera
📍 Kyoto, Japan · 🕐 778
Polonnaruwa
📍 Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka · 🕐 12th century
Yungang Grottoes
📍 Datong, China · 🕐 460
Chion-in
📍 Kyoto, Japan · 🕐 1234
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
📍 Xi'an, China · 🕐 652
Spring Temple Buddha
📍 Lushan, China · 🕐 2008
Wat Benchamabophit
📍 Bangkok, Thailand · 🕐 1899
Gal Vihara
📍 Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka · 🕐 12th century
Thien Mu Pagoda
📍 Hue, Vietnam · 🕐 1601
One Pillar Pagoda
📍 Hanoi, Vietnam · 🕐 1049
Karni Mata and Dilwara Temples
📍 Mount Abu, India · 🕐 11th–13th century
Nishi Hongan-ji
📍 Kyoto, Japan · 🕐 1591
Gandhara Buddhist Ruins
📍 Taxila, Pakistan · 🕐 5th century BCE
Bayon Temple
📍 Siem Reap, Cambodia · 🕐 Late 12th–early 13th century
Kandy Esala Perahera Route
📍 Kandy, Sri Lanka · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Thatbyinnyu Temple
📍 Bagan, Myanmar · 🕐 1144
Tooth Relic Temple
📍 Singapore, Singapore · 🕐 2007
Preah Vihear
📍 Preah Vihear, Cambodia · 🕐 9th–12th century
Bhamala Stupa
📍 Haripur, Pakistan · 🕐 4th century
Erdene Zuu Monastery
📍 Kharkhorin, Mongolia · 🕐 1586
Samye Monastery
📍 Shannan, China · 🕐 779
Bodhi Tree Temple (Anuradhapura)
📍 Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Fo Guang Shan
📍 Kaohsiung, Taiwan · 🕐 1967
Lumbini
📍 Lumbini, Nepal · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Menander's Stupa (Sialkot)
📍 Sialkot, Pakistan · 🕐 2nd century BCE
Bai Dinh Pagoda
📍 Ninh Binh, Vietnam · 🕐 2003
Kopan Monastery
📍 Kathmandu, Nepal · 🕐 1969
Sam Poh Tong
📍 Ipoh, Malaysia · 🕐 1890
Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya
📍 Kelaniya, Sri Lanka · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Dhammakaya Cetiya
📍 Pathum Thani, Thailand · 🕐 2000
Kushinagar
📍 Kushinagar, India · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Chua Buu Long
📍 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam · 🕐 1942
Nara Daibutsu-den Approaches
📍 Nara, Japan · 🕐 8th century
Kanchi Kailasanathar
📍 Kanchipuram, India · 🕐 7th century
Beopjusa
📍 Boeun, South Korea · 🕐 553
Ruwanwelisaya
📍 Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka · 🕐 140 BCE
Gangtok Monasteries
📍 Gangtok, India · 🕐 18th century
Phra Pathom Chedi
📍 Nakhon Pathom, Thailand · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Amaravati Stupa
📍 Amaravati, India · 🕐 3rd century BCE
Mulkirigala Raja Maha Viharaya
📍 Tangalle, Sri Lanka · 🕐 2nd century BCE
Changu Narayan
📍 Bhaktapur, Nepal · 🕐 5th century
Kamakura Daibutsu
📍 Kamakura, Japan · 🕐 1252
Yonghegong Lama Temple
📍 Beijing, China · 🕐 1694
Takht-i-Bahi
📍 Mardan, Pakistan · 🕐 1st century
Taktshang (Tiger's Nest Views)
📍 Paro Valley, Bhutan · 🕐 1692
Mahamyatmuni Pagoda
📍 Mandalay, Myanmar · 🕐 1784
Dhamek Stupa
📍 Sarnath, India · 🕐 500
Maha Wizaya Pagoda
📍 Yangon, Myanmar · 🕐 1980
Pulguksa Temple Bell
📍 Gyeongju, South Korea · 🕐 771
Aukana Buddha
📍 Aukana, Sri Lanka · 🕐 5th century
Thanboddhay Pagoda
📍 Monywa, Myanmar · 🕐 1939
Jetavanaramaya
📍 Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka · 🕐 273